Tokyo, July 27 (Jiji Press)—Democratic Party President Renhō said Thursday that she will resign as head of the main Japanese opposition party, apparently to take the blame for party confusion following its dismal performance in the July 2 Tokyo metropolitan assembly election.

Renhō made the announcement at a regular press conference two days after Secretary-General Noda Yoshihiko expressed his intention to step down from the post to make clear his responsibility for the election result.

“The best thing is to get a new executive team to lead the party, so it will become stronger,” said Renhō, a member of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament.

She also expressed hopes that the next leadership will maintain the party’s electoral cooperation with the Japanese Communist Party.

Meanwhile, she withdrew her earlier plan to run in a Tokyo constituency in the next election for the House of Representatives, the lower chamber. “I’ll reconsider it,” she said.